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STARKVILLE -- Jeffery Simmons proved the Mississippi State football team's defense's point with a tackle in the second quarter.
On the first play after then-No. 12 LSU pummeled MSU with an eight-play, 65-yard touchdown drive in which it didn't attempt a pass, Marquiss Spencer took on an edge block and Simmons shed the LSU center, pursued across the formation and tackled running back Derrius Guice for a loss.

STARKVILLE -- Dan Mullen wasn't going to hold any punches.
The Mississippi State football coach entered his team's game against No. 12 LSU on Saturday night with one goal: run the football. To do that, Mullen was going to use everything in his playbook.
It all worked.

STARKVILLE -- The Mississippi State football team running for nearly 6 yards per carry Saturday night in a 37-7 victory against No. 12 LSU did plenty to set up its passing attack, but coach Dan Mullen was doing more, too.
"What we're trying to do is get them back and forth," Mullen said, "get them into nickel and out of base defenses to create mismatches."

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Jalen Hurts and the Alabama football team scored in a hurry, then did it again -- and again.
No. 1 Alabama raced to a lead Saturday night, lost a chunk of it, then outlasted Colorado State 41-23 Saturday night.
Hurts threw for 248 yards and two long touchdowns and rushed for 103 yards for the Tide (3-0) in his best all-around game of the season.

STARKVILLE -- Change was inevitable for the LSU football team when coach Ed Orgeron hired offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
The extent of the changes was a mystery for an extended period, as Orgeron closed preseason practices to the media.
Two games into the Canada era, the most important adjustments come before every snap.

STARKVILLE -- Kylin Hill knows his first career touchdown should have came a week earlier than it did.
The former Columbus High School standout had holes to run through in his debut with the Mississippi State, as he averaged more than 11 yards on his first three carries.

BOONEVILLE -- The three national championship football teams at East Mississippi Community College had the knack for beating an opponent in a number of ways.
On Thursday, No. 2 EMCC looked like one of those throwback teams in a 59-0 victory against Northeast Mississippi C.C. at Tiger Stadium.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Anthony Averett has gone from raw recruit to two-year starting cornerback for the No. 1 Alabama football team.
Levi Wallace and Jamey Mosely can top that: They began their Crimson Tide careers as walk-ons.

STARKVILLE -- The Mississippi State football team's starting offensive line did nothing in its season opener against Charleston
Southern to suggest changes would come.
It wasn't until the first half of the second game against Louisiana Tech that the changes started, but it was unexpected.

STARKVILLE -- The classic dime package never was meant to be strong against the run.
With six defensive backs on the field with four defensive linemen and a linebacker or three defensive linemen and two linebackers, the weakness lies in the box.
The Mississippi State football team feels it has the players to neutralize that.

STARKVILLE -- Tristan and Peyton Pisacane shared the dream of playing college football.
Doing so together seemed almost impossible since Peyton had aspirations to attend the United States Military Academy (USMA) in West Point, New York.

The No. 2 East Mississippi Community College football team will be back in its comfort zone when it plays 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Northeast Mississippi C.C. in its Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division opener.
EMCC will bring a 24-game division winning streak into the game. Its last loss came in 2012 in the regular-season finale at Itawamba C.C.

RUSTON, La. -- Dan Mullen's eyes dropped to the box score in his hands.
In addition to seeing two 100-yard rushers -- Nick Fitzgerald and Aeris Williams -- the Mississippi State football coach saw his team more than double Louisiana Tech in rushing yards (327-152).

RUSTON, La. -- As the midway point of the third quarter loomed, Gerri Green and Jeffery Simmons already had made an impact.
Green forced a fumble that led to a quick score, while Simmons scored a touchdown after he blocked a punt.
Green and Simmons then joined forces to put the game out of reach.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Jalen Hurts set the tone for the Alabama football team early in the week and again to start the game.
Top-ranked Alabama needed to play better Saturday against Fresno State, he told his teammates. Hurts took care of his part of the bargain, rushing for 154 yards and two touchdowns and passing for a third score in a 41-10 victory Saturday.